APPLENEWS - STORY ADD

Trump admin live updates: Trump says Musk will 'pay the consequences' if he funds Democrats

The president added that he "doesn't have to" try to repair their relationship.

A bitter public feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk erupted on Thursday, with the Tesla billionaire agreeing to calls for Trump's impeachment while Trump suggested ending Musk's government contracts.

Musk showed some signs of softening his tone, but Trump on Friday told ABC News Musk was a "man who has lost his mind" and that he was "not particularly" interested in talking to him right now.

The spat began in part because of Musk's criticism of Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a sweeping immigration and tax bill that would fund much of the president's domestic agenda.


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Musk goes after Bannon on X

Elon Musk has stayed away from targeting President Donald Trump directly on Friday after Thursday's barrage of personal attacks, shifting instead to one of the president's closest longtime allies, Steve Bannon.

Overnight and multiple times Friday, Musk has repeatedly taken to X and blasted Bannon, who has long been critical of Musk even when the billionaire joined the administration.

Musk ripped Bannon when responding to clips from Bannon's WarRoom podcast, where he unloaded on the billionaire, including calling on Trump to seize control of SpaceX.

In one post, Musk wrote that the move would be "a crime" and that Bannon is a criminal.

-ABC News' Will Steakin


Some Republicans encouraged by Musk's criticism of the megabill

Some House Republicans said Friday they believe Elon Musk’s public criticism may have been helpful for potentially revising the "one, big, beautiful bill."

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who staunchly opposed the megabill and voted no on it in the House, said, "I don't think the public insults changed the trajectory of this bill but I think Elon probably did change the trajectory of this bill two or three days ago when he came out against it because people trust the guy who can land rockets backwards more than they do the politicians."

Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she was displeased by President Donald Trump and Musk’s public spat.

"I don't think lashing out on the Internet is the way to handle any kind of disagreement, especially when you have each other's cell phones," Greene said. "I hope this gets worked out, but I will tell you right now that people are going to be focused on making sure that we get the agenda that we voted for."

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, believes the feud is just noise right now. Still, he said the megabill needs improvements or he won't support it when it returns to the House.

“I think the Senate just needs to deliver, and frankly, in the Senate, the bill ought to get better," he said.

-ABC News' Arthur Jones II


Trump supports scrapping debt ceiling

President Donald Trump said he wants the debt ceiling scrapped, taking sides with progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, while also standing in diametric opposition to some budget hawks in his own party.

"The Debt Limit should be entirely scrapped to prevent an Economic catastrophe. It is too devastating to be put in the hands of political people that may want to use it despite the horrendous effect it could have on our Country and, indirectly, even the World," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post in response to a post from Warren.

Raising the debt ceiling means increasing the amount of debt the U.S. can accrue to pay its bills.

"Because if we don't take care of it, we have a country in default, and we don't ever want to have a country and of. You know, I'll tell you a certain senator Elizabeth Warren said that she would never, ever, allow a default on our debt. She would never let, let it happen. And she would like to get rid of the debt ceiling," Trump said last Friday in the Oval Office in response to a question from ABC News' Karen Travers.

"I think you should get rid of it. It's too catastrophic," Trump added.

--ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


Johnson hopes Trump, Musk patch things up but warns 'don't ever challenge' the president

Amid the fallout between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson told ABC News Friday he was disappointed and surprised by the billionaire's tirade against the president.

However, he said he hopes the two reconcile.

"I was with the president in the Oval Office yesterday afternoon as some of this was unfolding, and I can tell you he, as he said in his own words, he was just disappointed, and I was, too. I'm surprised by Elon's sudden opposition, and look, I hope they reconcile. I believe in redemption." Johnson said.

But, without naming Musk, the speaker issued a stark warning.

"But I'll tell you what, do not doubt and do not second-guess, and don't ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump. He is the leader of the party. He's the most consequential political figure of this generation in probably the modern era, and he's doing an excellent job for the people," he said.

-ABC News' Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones II and Jay O'Brien